When the offer from USC came through on February 12, the 6’5”, 200-pound Westlake WR already knew where the program stood on his list. Charles Davis holds nearly 30 offers, including powerhouse programs like Georgia, Miami, and Oregon. But Lincoln Riley’s program has always been his dream school, and he has been direct about how he feels about the Trojans’ recruiting strategy.

“It felt like all the hard work I’ve been putting in this offseason and last season is really paying off, and I’m very blessed to have this opportunity,” Charles Davis told USC Trojans on SI’s Kendell Hollowell. 

His affinity for USC starts at home. Charles Davis, whose father is a die-hard USC fan, grew up going to games at the Coliseum. When the offer came through, he admitted his dad got emotional. Freshman WR Luc Weaver even reached out right away for a peer-to-peer connection. And now he’s lining up spring unofficial visits to see if the feeling matches the pitch. And he knows exactly what he’s looking for. 

“I want to see up close how the culture is and how the coaches interact with their players and how they develop them,” he said. 

Charles Davis is being recruited as a wideout, but there could be a hybrid TE future. And soon, the No. 70 player in California will be back to evaluate infrastructure. But perhaps his biggest plus point is USC’s shift in recruiting philosophy under Lincoln Riley.

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“I’m glad USC is coming back to recruiting California more because we need to start running the nation again, and there is nowhere else better to do it than USC,” he said. 

For years, USC suffered the pain of watching elite in-state prospects leave the state. It didn’t start with Lincoln Riley, but he’s clearly focused on ending it. The 2027 class already landed Temecula 3-star WR Eli Woodard. With over a 1,000-yard season, he’s ranked No. 50 in California. But it’s the 2026 class where the shift became clearly visible. 

Lincoln Riley is rebuilding the California wall

The 2026 class laid the foundation with local SoCal commitments like Brandon Lockhart, Madden Riordan, and Ja’Myron Baker. They committed early and then called around to build the class from within. Lincoln Riley addressed it directly on the Big Ten Network. 

“The class really started in Southern California,” he said. “It was a tremendous year in this area, a lot of really great players.”

The plan was cultural fit, and then, once they finish in-state, they’d scour for national talent. That’s what recruits like Charles Davis are noticing. The surge truly began after Chad Bowden’s arrival as GM in 2025 and the revamping of the personnel department. Spring commitments came from elite stars like 5-star DL Jaimeon Winfield, OT Keenyi Pepe, and TE Mark Bowman. 

Momentum followed as Lincoln Riley was later able to land 5-star edge Luke Wafle, LB Talanoa Ili, and WR Boobie Feaster, among others. When Kayden Dixon-Wyatt flipped from Ohio State during the Early Signing Period, it sealed the No. 1 class for USC’s 2026 cycle.

“I think the biggest thing is this class just cohesively saw the opportunity not just individually but really collectively for themselves,” Lincoln Riley said. “I think their desire to win, to win championships at a high level and do it at SC together, was really kinda what bonded this group from the beginning.”

So when Charles Davis says he’s glad USC is recruiting California more aggressively again, it reflects a local elite prospect recognizing a program returning to its roots.